New melodies rising
by alistair watson holmes
Summary: The world kills you, everyday. Not physically. Inside a part of you dies. So you look for a refuge, something that protects you from it but also gives you hope for a new day, a new life.
1. Little boy inside my chest

New melodies rising

He started playing the violin on insistence from Juliette. Ridiculous. They had been out walking, enjoying the free air and how their footsteps sounded, when they had stopped to listen to this old guy playing a really violin. His face and hands looked beaten by the seasons, but his fingers didn't tremble and his voice sounded clear and young.

When he finished playing, Aaron whispered, "It sounds nice". To anyone else, that may sound like a simple compliment, but Juliette knew that coming from Aaron, it ment a lot. So after much insisting, and some kisses, Aaron finally agreed to learn to play violin. And since they only knew one person who played, Juliette (so in other words Aaron) hired Alex to teach Aaron.

Alex was an unusually good teacher. Aaron was an applied student and practiced whenever he could. He learned the basics very quickly and was soon playing songs just by listening Alex play.

He enjoyed how the violin felt under his chin, how the strings responded to the slightest move of the bow. Every note was like a delicate rose petal that fell from Aaron's fingers. When he played he felt as if he were inside a storm of petals, he couldn't hear or feel anything else that wasn't his music.

Alex could see how devoted Aaron was with his violin and its music. He was very happy he had found Aaron. He had discovered a talent, different from all the rest. This talent could change the world in a very singular way, music can change how people think. That is something they needed in a world that had lost its heart.

Aaron had insisted that Juliette couldn't hear him practice until he was ready. She had agreed to it but with a bit of hesitation. After three, almost four months, he was finally ready to show his new talent.

Surprising everyone, he decided to give a little presentation in front of the whole gang. Juliette rounded up everyone in the gym, glad everyone looked ready to give support, or so she thought.

"So…He's really gonna do this?", Kenji asked, sitting down next to James and crossing his legs.

"Yes, he is.", she answered back.

"What if he sucks at it? Do we tell him or just smile politely?", Adam asks but with just one glare from Juliette and James, he quickly turned away and didn't say anything else.

"I think he's going to be great.", James happily says.

"I also think he'll do great. Thank you James.", Juliette answers, glad Aaron's little brother was much more supporting than the bigger one.

Aaron finally came out, holding the violin and bow carefully in each hand. Alex was already sitting down next to Juliette. She gave Aaron a smile, trying to tell him that everything was okay. He walked to the middle so everyone could see him. Normally he would've felt exposed and unprotected, he was about to show them a side of him that wasn't the soldier everyone knew. But he had his violin under his chin and nothing else mattered.

The first notes were soft and gentle. Juliette saw a small bird flying high above in a sky full with fluffy white clouds. As the song progressed, the notes turned sadder and more beautiful, changing the peaceful sky into a true heartbreaking storm. But the golden bird was able to stay in flight, winning against the fiercest winds.

Suddenly, without any warning, the sky turned peaceful again and bird was able to fly again with his own liberty.

The golden bird turned into a handsome young man and the blue sky into their new world.

 _Hello everyone, Allister here. This is my first shatter me fanfic . hoped you enjoyed what you just read. This is part one, later on I will post part two, where Juliette finds her own musical talent. Try and guess what it is. See you guys later._


	2. Heartbeats turned into melodies

Juliette loved the days that rained. She would stand in front of the windows and would try to follow a drop as it fell down from the sky and hit the ground. Of course she couldn't keep up with the speed of the drops, so as soon as she lost one she would start over with another one. She could be in front of the window as long as it was raining, but that day Aaron picked her up so they could go on a date.

They had been doing this a lot more frequently now. Spending time alone walking in town. But first Aaron needed to check something with Delalieu. They went downstairs to his room, holding hands. Once they got there, Aaron knocked on the door and let himself and Juliette in. The front room was impeccable, as expected of someone that has spent so much time in the military scene. On the back of the room, a door opened reveling Delalieu. But Juliette widened her eyes when she heard what was behind him.

It was a sound she had never heard before. No, not a single sound. It was a combination of them weaving through the air. It was soft and evoked pleasant childhood memories she didn't know she had. Sitting in her backyard, letting the sun paint her face. Staring up on the moon and feeling she was looking back. And then the rhythm changed and it was like a thunderstorm was in the room with them. Juliette felt her heartbeat go faster, trying to match what she was hearing.

And just like that it was over.

Delalieu saw her face and somehow understood what she had just been through. He had felt the same way the first time he had heard piano music.

"Did you liked it?", he asked her.

She could only stare at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"It's called a piano. Just like Aaron's violin, the piano used to be a great instrument that could unite people for the sole purpose of hearing a performance."

"I didn't know you had something like that", Aaron said.

Delalieu just blushed, not answering.

Aaron turned to Juliette and was transfixed by all the emotions that were playing inside her. Joy, sadness and anger. All this and she only heard a short piece. He then decided he was going to give her a piano. They went on their date just like always, but Aaron could feel that Juliette was still recovering from hearing the piano. He couldn't help but feel that it was an instrument that matched Juliette's soul in a very particular. Both of them could start on the lightest of things and quickly become a storm that took out everything on its path,

A few days later, Aaron was having a violin session with Alex. After they finished Aaron asked Alex if he knew someone that could own a piano or where he could find one.

"They were all destroyed years ago. The government thought they could incite rebellions. They would've burned all the violins too, but we were able to hide since they're much smaller", and just as Aaron was going to curse for the 100th time the system that had reigned over them, Alex continued talking.

"But my grandfather used to make them. He s too old now to do it, but if you really want one maybe he'll teach you how to make one." Aaron thanked him and that same day accompanied him to his home. There weren't giant blocks anymore, ever since Aaron's father had died, renovations on the civilian's living conditions had started. Those who weren't able to afford could use the compounds that were left behind by some families. This was the case for Alex's family.

Aaron was very kind and humble when he entered even accepting tea from Alex's mother while he waited for the grandfather to come forth. After about 10 minutes of waiting, he heard grandfather's footsteps coming to the living room. The grandfather presented himself as Abraham Elric and excused himself for taking so long.

"It's alright, I should be the one apologizing for coming with no previous warning."

"Alex told me you want to make a piano, yes?"

"Yes sir"

"Who's it for?"

"For my...", Aaron didn't know how to answer that. Girlfriend sounded too light and superficial after all he and Juliette had been through. They weren't married (yet). So... Where did that leave them? Suddenly he knew how to answer, "It's for my favourite friend, she always makes me feel...special."

The old man smiled at him and answered, "Good, good. I can see how much she means to you. I wish Alex could follow your example and find himself a girl like that." Abraham chuckled, making Alex roll his eyes but with a light blush on his cheek.

"It s good that you can recognize this feeling for your friend. When you're making a piano, or any present for that matter, you want to be able to infused those feeling on the object. So even if it isn't a grand or an expensive present, it will mean something for the both of you. Now, I still have all my tools but we will need enough wood. Could you take care of that Mr. Warner?"

"Yes, sir. Of course." He was already thinking about different sites he might be able to use where he had teams planting new trees.

"Good, good. We will have to build it outside so that we can have for space." Aaron and Abraham discussed the smaller details for the next hour or so. Alex was sitting on a chair behind Aaron watching his grandfather so animated after so many years.

It took about two months before the piano was finally presentable. Aaron had kept the secret this whole time, but Juliette could tell something was different with him. She tried asking Alex and Delalieu, but both men weren't speaking. She considered asking Kenji to help her follow Aaron but she knew he would detect them even before they got out of the building. So she had to wait all that time in the dark. Well... Not completely in the dark. Now every time she had a break, she would go to Delalieu's room to listen to his piano discs. Eventually he gave them to her so she didn't had to go downstairs' every time she wanted to hear them. So even when she went to sleep, she would let the music flow through the room and into her body.

Finally he decided to tell her the big secret. He took her to a part of the building she still hadn't explored (not because of lack of curiosity but because of lack of time). He opens the door for her and moves to the side so she can pass. The room is big and spacious with only one light bulb showering the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She knew exactly what it was even if she had never seen one. She felt herself walking towards it and sitting down on the little stool that was there. She lifts her hands over the keyboard and notices that her fingers had the smallest of trembles.

"It won't bite you unless you hesitate." She turned around to see who else was there and she sees an old man with a cane looking at her smiling.

She turns back and lets a big breath out. She steadies her hands and drops them on the keyboard. For the first few minutes, she randomly passes her fingers across the keys, getting to know the piano. Suddenly she stops. She takes a big breath, holds it and lets it go. She places her hands over the keyboard again and begins playing the piano like she's been playing it since the start of time. She starts with a song that was one of her favourites listening but before the song is drawing to an end she transforms it and makes it her own. She was creating something that wasn't like something anyone had ever heard. Everyone in the room, Alex and Abraham, Delalieu and Aaron, completely immobilized. They could only stare at Juliette and how softly and violently she passed her fingers across the keyboard. Inside she was reliving every single moment she had ever smiled or let tears stain her face. And in all that chaos of emotion she could hear the rain coming down, following her rolling emotions.

When she was finally finished, she was panting a bit and there was sweat on her forehead. Slowly her small audience starts clapping until its everything she can hear. She stands up and runs to Aaron. He catches her and spins her around one time. He lets her down and they both lean in to kiss each other. His arms tighten around her and before they could deepen the kiss they hear someone coughing from behind them. They turn around and the rest of the audience is waiting for the performer to go to her fans.

Abraham was the first to speak, "I thought they told me you had never played."

"I haven't ever touched a piano before this moment, sir."

Abraham was just shocked and couldn't say anyhting else. Delalieu said that she must have been blessed with a natural gift for the piano. Alex thought so as well, thinking maybe there was a musical running in Juliette's family. That was Alex's case, he played the violin, his mother sang and his grandparents had built musical instruments before.

Aaron had a different theory. He thougth that Juliette had connected to the piano through all the music she had heard the last two months. When she played, it felt like the melody itself tangled itself with Juliette's soul, opening it and letting everyone see what hidden behind her doll like figure. After this little performance, Juliette played in front of the gang, Kenji and James on the first rows. They as well were surprised with Juliette's talent, thinking it was another gift she might have. Juliette couldn't be more happy, not because of all the attention she was getting, but because she had discovered a talent that didn't hurt anyone. She was happy of her powers because she could protect her friends, but this was something that brought joy and amazement to them.

After that first day she played every day, making new music that could show her emotions without having to say anything. She could spend hours composing and not get hungry or sleepy. She would only stop when Aaron went and told her that she had spent 5 hours straight. She was like a child with the best present anyone had ever given her.

* * *

 **Hey so I finally finished this story. Hope you guys like it. I liked how this one came out.**

 **~Alistair**


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